'Chilling reminder of where we are': Officials condemn 'disturbing' arrest of Newark mayor

09 May

Newark, New Jersey mayor Ras Baraka outside of private prison Delaney Hall on May 9, 2025 (Image: Screengrab via @amandaleetv / X)

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka (D) was detained Friday afternoon at a newly reopened immigrant detention center in Newark.

Baraka was visiting Delaney Hall, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility operated by the private prison company GEO Group, alongside three of the state’s congressional Democrats in New Jersey's largest city.

The facility is the first immigrant detention center to open since President Donald Trump took office again in January. It began accepting detainees on May 1 amid ongoing legal disputes over its operation.

The mayor, who is running to be the state's governor, had a heated exchange with security personnel, following which he was taken into custody by men dressed in blue jackets marked "police."

Baraka's arrest has been condemned by Democrats and other critics of the administration.

Rep. Josh Gotheimer (D-N.J.) wrote on the social platform X: "Newark Mayor Baraka should be released immediately. It’s absurd that he’s being held. As I’ve said before, the Trump Administration should not be using Delaney Hall, a crowded private prison, as an immigrant jail. It's an environment ripe with mistreatment and abuse."

Sen. Cory Brooker (D-N.J) wrote: "As mayor of Newark, Ras Baraka has a responsibility to ensure that facilities operating in the city are adhering to laws that protect the safety and wellbeing of occupants and residents. This incident is disturbing, unnecessary and indicative of tactics that are undermining the safety and security of our communities, not adding to it."

"Law enforcement officers should have deescalated this situation. Mayor Baraka should be immediately released. Moreover, the Trump administration’s decision to reopen Delaney Hall, a private, for-profit prison in our community, should have never gone forward. New Jersey deserves better and the Trump administration continues to take actions to undermine the wellbeing of our residents," Booker added.

Many praised the mayor for confronting the Trump administration.

"Newark Mayor @rasjbaraka was arrested as he attempted to enter an ICE facility in Newark to make sure it’s up to code. This is leadership. This must be the next Governor of New Jersey. Thank you Mr. Baraka!!!!!" wrote Rutgers University professor Todd Wolfson.

User @theliamnissan wrote: "The Newark airport radar is failing as we speak but don't worry folks, ICE just arrested the mayor of the city outside an immigration detention center."

User Annelise Orleck, a historian according to her bio, said: "The number of people on here celebrating because ICE arrested Newark's mayor, Ras Baraka, for walking into an immigration detention center in his own city to check on his constituents is a chilling reminder of where we are at as a country."

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